Adapting to a New Life
by lkjh869
Summary: Draco Malfoy must adapt to survive
1. Fix Things

"And that's that." He told himself while pacing his manor. "Schools out. The war is over. And the only reason I'm not in Azkaban is because we defected at the last my father wasn't that lucky. Why did we even get mixed up with him in the first place?"

"Stop it, Draco." His mother said, overhearing everything. "You're not helping me or yourself. I know your father got sent to Azkaban but at least we are free. Now we just have to try and get people to like us now. I know your father didn't help us with that. He dug us a big hole but I think we can overcome it."

"So you think that, now with the war over, people are just going to love us? I haven't had anyone look at me straight yet!"

"Maybe we can start with Potter?" She said hopefully.

"Maybe." He said. "I'll go see if I can talk to him."

Draco left the Malfoy Manor and, as soon as he took one step outside the door, he could immediately feel the dejection and hatred from everyone else. He felt like everyone was about to form a mob against him.

He walked all the way to the house of Harry Potter and knocked on the door. Ginny opened it.

"Hell-oh, it you." She said when she saw Draco's face.

"I know you don't like me but I want to talk to Potter." Draco asked.

She sighed. "Alright but give me your wand."

"Alright." He said as he passed the wand from his hand to hers.

"He is in his study." She said as she pointed to a room in the back. "HONEY, YOU HAVE A VISITOR!" She shouted as Draco walked in there.

As he opened the door, Harry's mouth dropped as he saw who it was.

Draco extended his hand do Harry. Harry shook his hand. "Hi, I'm Draco Malfoy."

"I know who you are Malfoy." He said confused.

"I know you do, but I want to reintroduce myself. I want to start again." Draco responded.

"Really? Why?"

"Well, I know that I have always been a bad guy but I want to fix that. Now that my dad is gone, I think that I can."

"What does your dad have to do with any of this?"

"Well," Draco started. "I have always lived under his shadow. I have always had to impress him. To do that, I had to be bad. I had be be dark. I was forced to be a death eater because of him. I didn't want to do it. I am willing to do anything to get to where I can walk out of my house and not feel like the most hated man in the free world. I will even work for you, if I have to."

"Let me think." Harry said then paused.

"Please, let me make things right." "Draco said.

"Alright." Harry said finally giving in. "I will let you work for me. But to see if you really are serious, I want you to do something really easy for me ok?"

"Alright! What is it?" Draco said with a hint of excitement.

"I want you to take this flower to Dumbledore's grave." Harry said as he passed Draco the flower.

"I have actually wanted to see if I can make peace with myself. I can do that and place the flower at the same time." Draco stated before he apparate away from the Harry to the grave.

He placed the flower on the grave and kneeled down next to it. "Hey old man...er Dumbledore. I just want you to know that I have started to rebuild myself. I'm sure you have always had faith in me but I know I didn't. So maybe now it's time for me to be able to do something to make things right. I know I will never truly erase all the bad things I have done, nor will I erase the dark mark from my arm. But I can still try to make right with the world. Thank you for always having faith in me. Even if I didn't." He turned around to look away from the grave. "I know you can't hear me, but I just wanted to tell you that I wish I could have another try at Hogwarts. I wish that I hadn't tried to impress my dad. I with that I wasn't afraid of being kicked out of the manor back then. I wish...I wish that things were different." Then Draco just stood there and wondered if his plan would work.


	2. The Manor

Draco apparated back to Potters Place. When he got there he went back to see Harry Potter.

"It's done." Draco said as he entered the office.

"Alright. I guess you are serious." Harry said.

"I am, Harry." Draco replied.

"Wow." Said Harry stunned. "I think that's the first time you have ever called me Harry while not being sarcastic about it."

"Like I said, I am trying to be nice to everyone. I want to be able to walk out of my house and not feel like I'm going to die."

"Ok. If you keep talking with me, and I tell people, then maybe people will start being nicer. But you will have to keep working at it."

"I know and I'm ready to do so."

"Ok then. You are going to have to work your way up from the bottom. Go ahead and tell your mom you have a job. Right now you are just going to help my wife around the house is that ok with you?"

'A Malfoy working as a maid...' He thought to himself. "Yes, that is fine with me. But can I please have my wand back?"

"Yes, of course." He said. He then called Ginny in to give Draco his wand and to let her know that Draco was now working for them. "So, Draco will now be working for us part time. He will be helping you around the house while I'm gone."

Ginny shot Draco a dirty look for a split second. "Alright. But I'm the boss. Got it Draco?"

"Of course mam. And please don't worry. Since Dad is now out of the picture I am now able to live the way I want. I can be the nice guy I wanted to be."

"Alright, Draco." She said with a hint of disbelief.

"Well, if you don't mind, I will take my leave to let my Mom know that my new life has begun. And then I will be back to get started." Draco said while turning to leave.

"Alright Draco. When you get back, I won't be here. I have to go to my work. Have a good day." Harry said while starting to pack up.

"Thank you." Draco said and then left.

"Let's see if he really has changed." Ginny muttered under his breath.

"Don't worry. He seems like he has." Harry said, unworried "When is the last time you heard a Malfoy said thank you."

"Good point." Ginny said. She then went off to start cleaning, while Harry went off to work.

Draco got home without any problems. "MOM! I'm home!" He shouted when he got home.

His Mom rushed downstairs. "Well? I don't see any bruises."

"No you don't, but I did get the job. A Malfoy is now working as a maid in Potter's Place."

"Well, we have to start somewhere. I'm looking for an opportunity as well."

"I hope Dad didn't put us into too big of a hole. We need this."

"Btw I think I know where I want to go with this. I want to see if, later on, Harry will put my name in the mix for D.A.D.A. teacher at Hogwarts." Draco said.

"Really? You want to go back there?" Narcissa said surprised.

"Well I didn't exactly leave on good terms. I think that if I can work my way back into there, it would broadcast to the wizarding world that we have changed."

"I'm not sure how I feel about that Draco but if you really want to. I guess I can't stop you now." Narcissa gave in.

"Well I need to get back to Potter's Place to get to work. By the way, you know that sooner or later we might need to sell this house."

"I know, I have already taken that into account. I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that doesn't happen. We have the money from before. Hopefully we can use that to keep this place in our possession. Other than that, we have to start spending scarcely." She said calculating numbers in her head.

"Alright, Mom. I have to go."

"Good luck, Draco."

"Thanks, mom." Draco said, turned around, and walked out to door.


End file.
